Heartbeat
by MissBlaze
Summary: She believes that her saviour was Uchiha Sasuke, But as Minutes turn into Hours, Hours into Days, Days into Weeks, Time reveals more then was to be Expected. Sakura X Itachi


**Chapter 1 of Heartbeat**

**-Uchiha Blaze**

I ran blindly through the canopy of smoke that surrounded me, coughing and spluttering continuously, trying hopelessly to find an exit. I squinted; my emerald orbs slowly becoming engulfed in the hazy smog, sending pain throughout my upper senses. My once pink hair was now layered with dirty black filth, grimy locks hung over my pale face, helping shield my eyes from the blistering winds. As I ran, the scorching flames kept at my heels, fraying the edge of my dress, burning my lower legs and feet. I collapsed to the ground; I felt the red-hot embers beneath me burn away the skin on my knees and hands. Managing to turn over, I lent up against a brick wall, it was hot, but nowhere near as bad as wooden walls. I could feel my medical garments melting away, sticking to my skin, Blood trickled down the side of my head; a large cut on my brow. I tried to scream, but my voice clogged, I needed help, I knew I was on the verge of death.

My windpipe began to close, as my lungs became tighter, with every breath came pain, becoming more and more rapid after every passing second. My heartbeat accelerated, it pumped faster and faster, blood circulated through my veins at a quicker pace. I gasped for air, but got nothing but smoke, grasping my neck I pumped chakra into my throat, but got naught. Tears fell from my eyes, as I knew I was going to die, I remembered the times when I was a genin and how everyone would come to my rescue, I was always the weak one in our team. Then came the day when I achieved the rank of Jounin, no-one saw me as the weak twelve year old, but as the strong, capable seventeen year old who has passed the Gondaime in medical ability when she was that age. That became one of the most memorable moments in my life, the day I was respected as a kunoichi, an individual, not just as the 5th's apprentice. Unfortunately though, the amazing medical ability I possessed wouldn't come in handy now, it was too late, I had used up all my reserves.

Whimpers escaped my dry, cracked lips; my now dull orbs were tightly closed shut. I curled up into a ball with my head on my knees and prayed that somehow I would survive. I felt the fire caress my skin; now that my body had gone numb, the flame's touch seemed like an unearthly experience, a heavenly sensation. Darkness soon engulfed my senses, my body went limp as the skin on my left forearm and left leg began to burn. The hot coals chard the remains of my clothing, I could hear the searing winds as they whipped past my face and a faint whisper behind the peaks of the flames. Someone was there, I might make it, but then again I might not, I opened my eyes slightly just in time to see the silhouette of a man standing before me, I couldn't make out who it was, if they were my saviour or someone else, everything went quiet as I blacked out, I just hoped for dear life that he would save me, not just walk away.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

My eyes fluttered open as the white ceiling glared down upon me, bright lights illuminating the room. I groaned in pain; my body aching all over, bandages covered my limbs, monitors observed my every motion. I slowing turned my head towards the window as I looked out the unclear glass, which had been frosted over with overnight dew. My head throbbed in pain after being twisted on an obscure angle; I lifted it up, gradually and leisurely placed it back onto the pillow. I sighed heavily, my lips stinging with every breath that escaped my lips.

"…How…how am I still alive?"

I gazed down nervously at my body, hoping that nothing was missing. I had severe burns to the left side of my body, broken bones and what felt like a punctured lung. How I knew this? I had no idea, considering the state I was in, I was lucky to be alive let alone be making medical examinations. I grasped the bars on the side of hospital bed firmly, I held on tightly as I strained to sit up, growling in pain once more. When I was able to sit up straight, I took a better look at myself, hoping for the best. Cherry hair cascaded down my burnt and cut up back, untameable tresses hung in the oddest of places, while my once proud Leaf Village headband had been lost, incinerated in the fiery inferno. The lights above began to flicker, reminding me of the heated crimson that almost took my life.

"_Almost…how only almost?"_

I remembered the silhouette that stood in the fire, of which kept its distance, almost as if the figure was controlling, even taming the flames. He stood there, not afraid of the blaze and unshaken by its tormenting heat, he looked breakable, but stood strong against the enemy. He had saved me, he had done the unthinkable and walked into the searing inferno; I owed this saviour my life, my very existence. If I could meet him, I would do just that. My lips tingled at the thought, would I ever get to give that man my thanks, even a small kiss on the cheek as gratitude? Would I even see him again? I let out an unhappy sigh. I guess we would just have to wait and see. I heard a light tap at my door as a blonde haired woman poked her head into the room, a small smile plastered across her face.

"Nice to see you awake Sakura, you took quite a beating"

I couldn't help but stare as she walked in and made her way to the chair beside me. I watched as her hair followed gracefully behind her, landing softly on her back as she sat down. She rested her hands on her knees, as she stared into my leaf green eyes. Her orbs shook with worry, her concern displayed clearly on her face. The corners of my lips tugged upwards as I forced a smile onto my weary face, I felt my dry cheeks crack under the pressure of my action, hopefully the Gondaime wouldn't notice my strained effort. I watched as the woman beside me raised her left eyebrow and reached for the clipboard that hung off the end of my bed.

"By the looks of it - you'll be in bed for at least a month"

I threw myself back onto the pillow, covering my eyes with my hands and moaning in annoyance. A whole month? I'll die if I have to stay in this blank white room any longer then a week! I turned back to face my former sensei "Is there any way you can make it go faster?" she shook her head reluctantly "I'm afraid not Sakura - You'll just have to wait"

I gazed back out the window, the frost beginning to melt; small drops of water running down the pane of glass. Shades of red and orange came into view, followed closely by slivers of yellow and purple, my emerald orbs went out of focus as I watched leaves fly through the air outside, the wind allowing them to rise and fall at their own pace. My hearing hadn't failed, as I could hear the clink of kunai and shuriken somewhere in the Konohagakure forest, as well as blasts of chakra energy coming from the training grounds. My eyes came back from the other world just in time to see the female beside me scanning my body to see how it was coming along, I stared into her hazel hues while opening my mouth to speak, the cracks scraping together making my lips tingle.

"What happened to me Tsunade? Why didn't I die?"

I must have sounded like a four year old who has to many questions about the world, not questions like why is this hot? Why is that cold? Why when I hit myself it hurts? But questions like why am I still alive? Shouldn't I have burned along with my house and my parents? There are many questions to be answered, just not enough time to solve them all. I think that's what must have been going through the Hokage's head at that very moment. I heard her sigh as she stood up and turned towards the door.

"I don't know Sakura, I don't know"

I watched as she trotted out into the hallway, quickly grabbing paperwork that busy nurses threw at her, racing off into different rooms, medicine and needles in hand. I copied her by sighing as well, licking my lips, trying to re-moisture the arid area. I began to rub my bruised stomach, allowing a minimal amount of chakra to exit through my fingertips, sending pain through my nerves but slowly relieving it afterward. The soft patter of footsteps I could hear entered through the door and stopped at my bedside. As a nurse placed a tray of food on my side table I didn't turn from laying on my back and sending chakra into my lower abdomen. The young nurse turned and left my ward, heels clicking together as she walked and leaving my alone once more. Once I felt as if I had done all I could, I relinquished the entering chakra stream and reached for an apple that sat on the food tray. I grasped it in my hand and took a bite; juices flowing into my mouth and dribbling down my chin. The sweet succulent taste felt like silk as it slipped down my raspy throat, lining it with a soft velvet of fruit juice, making my breathing that much easier.

A small tapping at my door caught my attention again, couldn't people leave me alone for a measly ten minutes? I swung my head around to face whoever stood there, A tall man around the age of twenty-nine with grey spiky hair and a leaf headband that covered his left eye, ANBU suit and a long katana strapped to his back. He was the current ANBU captain; top Jounin in the village and famous copy-nin of Konohagakure. "Kakashi?" 

I asked surprisingly, I wonder how he found out about me. He leant up against the door frame, arms crossed and his visible eye closed, I could make out the outline of a smirk underneath his mask; he turned his head to face me. " Looks like someone took their time resting" I quirked an eyebrow at his remark, "What do you mean?" I spluttered angrily. He sighed profoundly, taking out his little orange book and flipping it open to a page near the back. "You've been out for nearly a week…"

"A week? Tsunade-shisui didn't say that, in fact she didn't say…" 

"…Your ward has been off limits to everyone except nurses, so I suspected you'd have been out cold" he stated, not for one moment taking his eyes of that book of his, damn Jiraya and his perverted thoughts. I growled inwardly. Kakashi turned to look at my restless face, I shook my head slowly "Nothing" I lowered my head, as the room became silent, fortunately this didn't last for long. "Sakura-Chan your awake!" I lifted my head slightly to see my blonde haired team mate standing just inside the doorway, dressed in his usual orange an black jumpsuit, and a large smile which lit up his face. I smiled a small smile as my eyes drooped a little "Naruto…" I whispered, I couldn't explain with words just how much I had wished he'd show up, someone to make me smile, someone to make me laugh and to make me happy again.

He practically jumped to my side; his two hands held up his body on the side of my bed, the grin still splashed onto his now mature features. "I talked with Tsuande-baa-chan, I'm glad your going to be ok" I closed my beryl hues once more and beamed a warm, honest smile. "Thank you Naruto" he laughed a bit before pushing my shoulder playfully. "As soon as you're out of here, I'll treat you at Ichiraku" I covered my mouth as I giggled under my breath, even though I won't be able to go for around four weeks, the time would come. "Well, I better let you rest Sakura-Chan" As he and Kakashi-sensei turned to leave I grasped the back of Naruto's jumpsuit, he swivelled his head and let out a 'hmmm' raising his eyebrow as he did so. "Promise me you'll visit again," I said, my words dripping with need. "Of course Sakura-Chan" I let go of his back as he walked off with Kakashi-sensei, disappearing into the hallways like Tsunade did a while ago.

I lay back on my pillow, rolling onto my side and away from the busy corridor. I let another sigh as my tired hues slowly closed, taking Naruto's advice, I tried to rest, block out the rest of the world and sleep. However, as I began to drift off, vision flashed across into my mind, flames flickering, smoke whirling, oxygen disappearing, heat engulfing my senses; and then. It hit me.

Familiar crimson, unlike the fire, spun around wildly, back and forth, back and forth, an endless cycle of something I knew so well, and that was so close, but something that seemed oh so far away. I couldn't pick it, it was scary, but just like a child who is fascinated by burning wood, I was strangely attracted to this unknown presence. Slowly, it crept closer, gradually taking the form of something, I felt like squinting, but as is approached it all became clear.

Red, fiery eyes.

I shot up in bed, my hand grasping my heart which beat more rapidly by the second, I felt beads of sweat dripping from my forehead, even after this short period of time. My eyes shook with fear, as my hands reached to grasp my face, I covered my emerald hues, but my fingers parted so I was able to see slivers of objects in my room. The vision, those eyes, maybe, maybe it was,

"_Sasuke…?"_

**Chapter 1 of Heartbeat completed, my thanks must go to Eau-Hermaphrodite for giving me ideas on were this story should go, I will use them in future chapters. But for now, I need reviews to continue; otherwise this will just have to be a one-shot.**

**- Uchiha Blaze**


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